Woodland Trust Scotland (WTS) has welcomed Perth and Kinross Council's (PKC) decision to refuse planning permission for a £1.3bn resort scheme at Pitlochry, Scotland.

The trust had expressed concerns that plans submitted by Dall Estate and M James Developments would result in the loss of 160 hectares (395 acres) of historic forest, while an additional 240 hectares (593 acres) would be at risk. Under the plans rejected at a meeting of PKC's full council, the estate would have been redeveloped into a private members' club - incorporating a 104-suite hotel with restaurants and bars and a health spa with 10 suites.

A body enhancement clinic, a concert hall, two 18-hole golf courses, a loch-side restaurant and residential units were also included in the proposals, as well as a members' retail area and staff accommodation. Planning permission was refused on the grounds that the scheme would go against national policy and guidance, including the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Flora and Fauna Regulations 1994.

WTS conservation adviser Christina Byrne said: "The Woodland Trust is delighted with Perth and Kinross Council's decision to reject this planning proposal, and demonstrate their commitment to preserving their fantastic woodlands for the future. "The Black Wood of Rannoch is the most southerly extensive example of Caledonian Forest in Scotland; formed at the end of the last ice age and considered to be one of the last remaining wildernesses in the British Isles."